Agartala, June 23: The Department of Cardiology at Agartala Government Medical College and GB Pant Hospital successfully performed the state’s first minimally invasive treatment for a complex congenital heart defect, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery.
The procedure was carried out on 11-year-old Arbik Debbarma from Khowai district, who had suffered from breathing difficulties and recurrent chest infections since childhood. After months of evaluation and treatment, the boy was readmitted on June 1 for definitive intervention.
On June 10, a team led by Head of Cardiology and Interventional Cardiologist Dr Anindya Sundar Trivedi successfully closed the defect through a blood vessel using a catheter-based technique. The two-hour procedure was completed without complications, and the child recovered fully before being discharged on June 19.
The multidisciplinary team included cardiologists Dr Rakesh Das and Dr Manna Bhattacharya, along with doctors from the Paediatrics Department. The treatment, which normally costs between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 8 lakh in private hospitals, was provided free under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
The achievement marked a major milestone for Tripura’s public healthcare system and highlighted the growing capability of state-run institutions in delivering advanced cardiac care.
